Package



J. A. cHERNx-:Y

Dec. 8, 1964 PACKAGE Filed Deo. 16, 1.963

United States Patent() 3,160,341 PACKAGE `l'erorne Alfred Cherney, Fox River Grove, lll., assigner to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 330,925 Ciaims. (Cl. 229-6) The present invention relates to multiple container packages, and has particular reference to a twin-pack which is formed from two gable-top cartons which are secured together in such manner that one of the gable tops provides a carrying handle for the package.

At the present time, milk is sold in libreboard cartons which are made in a variety of sizes, the most common of which are pint, quart and half-gallon sizes. Such cartons constitute very practical and desirable containers, since they are relatively inexpensive, attractive in appearance, shatterproof, and sanitary.

There is a definite need, however, for a full gallon milk package which is particularly desirable for large families whose milk consumption is greater than average. While it is possible to manufacture a gallon carton, such a carton is not completely satisfactory, since it is quite bulky and is somewhat difficult to handle.

One solution to this problem has been the so-called twin-pack, which comprises two individual half-gallon cartons which are secured together so that they can be sold as a unitary gallon package. Such a package is advantageous in that once it is taken into the home, the half-gallon cartons can be separated from each other and thereafter handled individually and conveniently.

However, in forming such a twin-pack, it has been found desirable to provide the package with some type of carrying handle in order to enable the purchaser to lift it from the dairy case and to thereafter carry it about. The handles heretofore provided have -usually been separate handles which have been attached to the containers in some manner, and have not been completely satisfactory, either because they had added considerably to the expense of the package, or have been somewhat insecure f" or unattractive in appearance. A

The present invention contemplates a twin-pack which is an improvement over the previous twin-packs in that it does not require a separate carrying handle, but instead utilizes the recessed gable top of one of the cartons to provide the carrying handle. This is done by securing the two individual cartons together at right angles to each other so that one end of the gable top of one of the cartons is disposed at the center of the upper end of the resultant package, in substantial vertical alignment with its center of gravity. In this position, the adjacent wall of the gable top of the other carton slopes away from the recess which is provided by the centrally located gable top end of the first carton, thereby enabling the consumer to insert one or more fingers into the thus exposed, centrally located recess and to thus utilize it as a carrying handle.

An object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of a consumer package which is formed of two gable top cartons which are so positioned relative to each other that the gable top of one carton is utilizable as a carrying handle for the twin-pack.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a package which is inexpensive and attractive in appearance.

Numerous other objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent -as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

3,16%,341 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 ice Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a twin-pack emv bodying the principles of the instant invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, taken from another angle, showing the recessed end of the gable top of one of the cartons in the twin-pack -which functions as a carrying handle.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, FIG. 1 illustrates a twin-pack 10 which comprises two half-gallon libre milk cartons 12, 14 which are identical in construction and preferably of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent 2,022,930, issued on February 27, 1962, to Morris W. Kuchenbecker and entitled Containen Each carton 12, 14 is made from a single paperboard blank and has its entire external surface covered with a thin film of a resinous plastic such as polyethylene or the like which provides a moisture and liquid-proof surface and imparts an attractive finish to the carton. The interior ofthe carton is covered with a liquid and moistureproof liner film of a suitable material, the internal and external films preferably being applied to the paper board blank prior to the time it is set up to form the carton.

Each carton is formed with a sealed bottom end 16; four rectangular side walls 18 which combine with the bottom end 16 to form a body 20 which is square in horizontal cross-section; and a gable shaped top end 22.

The top end 22 of each carton comprises a symmetrical, folded structure which includes a pair of oppositely inclined outer closure walls 24, 26 which are connected by a narrow horizontal central wall 28. Both end portions of the walls 24, 26 and 28 are of multiple thickness and include a pair of small triangular side panels 30, 32, and a small rectangular panel 34, the panels 30, 32, and 34 at each end of the top end 22 being connected by a trapezoidal, upwardly inclined wall 36 to deline an inwardly extending, open-ended recess R which extends inwardly into the gable top end 22 of the carton.

As seen in FIG. 1, the cartons 12, 14 are arranged in juxtaposition to each other with two of their side walls 18 in mutual contact and with their gable shaped top ends 22 disposed at right angles to each other. tion, they are firmly secured to each other by a pair of small pieces of tape 38 which bridge and are secured to the upper ends of the aligned side walls 18 of the cartons 12, 14 on each side of the twin-pack 10 in any suitable manner. The tape pieces 38 may be made of any suitable material which is sufficiently strong to hold the filled cartons 12, 14 together when one of the cartons is grasped and lifted. Examples of suitable materials are strong kraft paper and plastics such as polyethylene, mylar, nylon, and the like.

The tape pieces 38 may be secured to the cartons in any suitable manner. For this purpose, they may be secured by any suitable adhesive, including thermoplastic adhesives, which may if desired be preapplied to the tapes, and activated by heat, moisture, etc. at the time the twin pack is formed. If desired, pressure sensitive adhesives which require no activation may be preapplied into the tape pieces 38.

With the cartons arranged and secured together as seen in FIG. 1, one of the gable top recesses R of the carton 14 disposed substantially in the interior of the upper end of the twin-pack 1i) in such manner that its open end is substantially unobstructed because of the fact that the inclined wall 24 of the gable top end 22 of the carton 12 slopes away lfrom it.

As a result, one or more lingers F of the consumer may readily be inserted into this interior recess R, as seen in FIG. 1, and the surrounding end portion of the gable top end 22 of the container 14 utilized as a carrying handle In this posito lift the twinpack 10 from the display case andto carry it to any suitable place Vof deposit, 'such as a shopping cart, etc. i

After the twin-pack has been taken home, the individual cartons 12, 14 can be readily separated from each other by pulling their bottom end portions apart to break loose the tape pieces 3b from the upper ends of the cartons. 1 K

The gable shaped top ends 22 of the cartons 12, 14 usually are provided With score lines 40 which facilitate opening of the cartons. While even the scored end'portions of the -top ends 22 are usually adequate in strength to support the weight of the twin-pack when utilized as a carrying handle, it may be desirable to positionk the carton 14 so that its score lines 40 are disposed away from the interior of the twinapack (as seen in FIG. l) in order to completely avoid the possibility of having them rupture in the event the twin-pack should be subjected to an un- I claim: i

l. A twin-pack comprising a pair of ibreboard cartons each of which is formed With a gable top extending across its upper end and having at least one open-ended recess formed iny said gable top, said cartons being secured together in juxtaposition with vtheir gable tops disposed at right angles to each other and With the recess of one of the said cartons being disposed in the interior of the upper end of the twin-pack to function as a carrying handle.

2. A twin-pack comprising apair of breboard cartons each of which is formed with a gable top extending across its upper end, sai-d gable top comprising a pair of oppositely usually abrupt upward jerking action when the consumer Y inserts his finger in the interior recess R and lifts the twin-pack from the dairy case.

If desired, suitable instructions 42 for insertion 'of the fingers into the recess R may be provided somewhere on the twinfpack, preferably on the horizontal Wall 28 of the carton 14. These instructions may be' printed directly on the Wall 28, or may be contained on a separate length of tape which is secured toY the wall 23 in any suitable manner. v

`It Will be understood that the cartons 12, 14 may be held together by any suitable means, and that this inven-V tion isnot limited to the use of the short pieces of tape 38 for such purpose. As one suggested alternative, the

mutually facing side Walls 18 in the Vinterior ofthe twinf tendant advantages will be understood' from the foregoing description Vand it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the'form, construction, and arrangement of the parts Without ldeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its -material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being l merely a preferred embodiment thereof.v

inclined Walls and having at least one'open-ended re-` cess formed at an end thereof, said cartons being secured together with their gable tops disposed at right angles to each other and With the recess of one of said cartons facing one of the inclined gable top walls of the other carton to function as a carrying handle for said twin-pack. Y

3. A twin-pack comprising a pair of iibreboard cartons each of which is formed with a gable top which extends completely'across its upper end, said gable to-p comprising a pair of oppositely inclined walls and a horizontal connecting Wall, said Walls overlying an open-ended recess which is formedl at each end of said gable top, said cartons being securedv together in juxtaposition with their gable topsdisposed at right angles lto each other and with one of the recesses of the gable top of one of the cartons facing one of the inclined gable -top walls of the other carton to provide a .carrying handle for the vtwinpaek. j

4. The tWin-pack ot' clairn'3 wherein the cartons are square in cross-section and are secured together by pieces of tape which bridge and are .adhesively secured to the upper ends of each of the juxtaposed cartons.

5. The twin-pack of claim 4 wherein a separate piece of tape containing printed carrying instructions is secured to the gable top of one of thercartons.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNrrED srArEs PATENTS Fahrenbach g Aug. 5, 1958 v3,080,965 Kuchenbecker Mar. 12, 1963 

3. A TWIN-PACK COMPRISING A PAIR OF FIBREBOARD CARTONS EACH OF WHICH IS FORMED WITH A GABLE TOP WHICH EXTENDS COMPLETELY ACROSS ITS UPPER END, SAID GABLE TOP COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY INCLINED WALLS AND A HORIZONTAL CONNECTING WALL, SAID WALLS OVERLYING AN OPEN-ENDED RECESS WHICH IS FORMED AT EACH END OF SAID GABLE TOP, SAID CARTONS BEING SECURED TOGETHER IN JUXTAPOSITION WITH THEIR GABLE TOPS DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER AND WITH ONE OF THE RECESSES OF THE GABLE TOP OF ONE OF THE 